Bert Cooke (rugby)
|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand |death_date = |death_place = Auckland, New Zealand |height = |weight = |ru_position = Second five-eighth |position = |ru_club1 = Grafton RFC |ru_year1start = 1923 |ru_year1end = 1925 |ru_appearances1 = |ru_tries1 = |ru_goals1 = |ru_fieldgoals1 = |ru_points1 = |ru_teamA = |ru_yearAstart = 1923 |ru_yearAend = 25 |ru_appearancesA = |ru_triesA = |ru_goalsA = |ru_fieldgoalsA = |ru_pointsA = |ru_teamC = Hawke's Bay |ru_yearCstart = |ru_yearCend = |ru_teamD = Wairarapa |ru_yearDstart = 1927 |ru_yearDend =29 |ru_teamE = |ru_yearEstart = 1930 |ru_yearEend = |ru_teamB = |ru_yearBstart = 1924 |ru_yearBend = 30 |ru_appearancesB = 8 |ru_triesB = 4 |ru_goalsB = 0 |ru_fieldgoalsB = 0 |ru_pointsB = 12 |club1 = |year1start = 1932 |year1end = 19?? |appearances1 = |tries1 = |goals1 = |fieldgoals1 = |points1 = |teamA = Auckland |yearAstart = 1932 |yearAend = 19?? |appearancesA = |triesA = |goalsA = |fieldgoalsA = |pointsA = |teamB = New Zealand |yearBstart = 1932 |yearBend = 35 |appearancesB = 5 |triesB = 2 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 6 |coachteamA = Auckland |coachyearAstart = 1936 |coachyearAend = |coachgamesA = |coachwinsA = |coachdrawsA = |coachlossesA = |new = yes |retired = yes |source = }} Albert "Bert" Edward Cooke (5 October 1901 – 29 September 1977) was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby footballer of the 1920s and 1930s, who represented for New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league. Early years Born in Auckland in 1901, Cooke was the son of Albert Edward Cooke, a hairdresser, and his wife Sarah Jane Cooke (née Peterson). Cooke was educated at Hamilton East Primary and Hamilton Boys' High School. Rugby union career Cooke joined the Grafton rugby union club in 1919 and graduated to senior club rugby in 1923. In that same year he made his Auckland debut and was a reserve for New Zealand against New South Wales. He was then part of the 1924–1925 "Invincibles" side that toured Great Britain. He again played for the All Blacks in 1925 and 1926 but withdrew from the 1928 tour of South Africa for business reasons. He did play twice in 1928 for New Zealand against New South Wales before making his last Test appearances in 1930 against Great Britain. Cooke played for the North Island in 1931 and spent 1932 with Hawke's Bay, before switching codes. Cooke also represented Wairarapa and Wellington while playing rugby union. He finished his rugby union career with 121 tries in 131 first class matches. Rugby league career Cooke joined the Richmond Rovers club in the Auckland Rugby League competition in 1932 and made an immediate impact, racing away for three tries in the inter-island game only weeks later.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009, 2009. , p.103. He was selected for New Zealand that year against the Great Britain Lions. Cooke also represented Auckland and captained New Zealand in two Test matches against Australia in 1935.COOKE, Albert Edward 1932, 1935 – Kiwi #219 nzleague.co.nz He coached Auckland in 1936. Later years With the outbreak of World War II, Cooke joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and played rugby union for that service in the 1940 Auckland club competition. He died in Auckland in 1977. References Category:1901 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Dual-code rugby internationals Category:New Zealand international rugby union players Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:New Zealand rugby union players Category:Rugby league players from Auckland Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:Rugby union centres Category:Auckland rugby union players Category:Auckland rugby league team players Category:Hawke's Bay Magpies players Category:Richmond Bulldogs players Category:Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel Category:New Zealand national rugby league team captains Category:Wellington rugby union players Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II Category:North Island rugby union players Category:North Island rugby league team players Category:Auckland rugby league team coaches Category:New Zealand rugby league coaches Category:Wairarapa rugby union players Category:Rugby union players from Auckland